My Top Four Games to De-Stress

  The holidays are approaching, school is ramping up for college students like myself, and the world feels more chaotic than ever. In stressful times, it’s more important than ever to make time for ourselves and de-stress where we can. And what better way to do that than by playing a video game? Gaming is my favorite way to de-stress, because in order to play a game you really have to give it your full attention. It’s not passive like watching TV, and its more physically engaging than reading a book (though both of these are wonderful alternatives). 

With that being said, here are my top four games I play to de-stress after a long day (and why):

1. Minecraft

Minecraft logo, from Google Images

        Ah, Minecraft. An oldie, admittedly, but a goodie. What can’t you do in Minecraft? Minecraft’s world is infinite, and your only limitations are how creative you’re willing to be. Personally, when I play Minecraft to relax, I hop on my friend’s Minecraft server– essentially one large, shared Minecraft world, accessible to anyone with the address at any time. The server is years old at this point– I think we started it back in 2020, as something to do during online school (sorry-not-sorry highschool teachers). 

        I have several large, ongoing projects on the server, which means I have several options whenever I log on.  In the main area, I’m building a massive, custom tree on top of my current house (a mirrored replica of the Xhorhaus seen in Critical Role campaign 2). In another area, I’m draining a section of ocean to reveal an Ocean Monument, which I plan to turn into a second base, because one isn’t enough for some reason. And in a third area, I’m working on landscaping and interior design for a ginormous mushroom-shaped house that I built next to my friend’s mushroom-shaped house. 

        Building and mining can sometimes get monotonous in Minecraft– to fix this, I’ll often play a TV show or movie on my phone as I work, usually something I’ve seen before. Either way, focusing on my massive-Minecraft projects always helps me take my mind off of whatever is bothering me. 

2. Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 Logo, from Nintendo

        This one may seem counterintuitive at first. Why would I play a competitive shooter game to de-stress? Well, the answer is simple. It’s a fun game! If I ever do start to get grumpy about one game mode, I’ll switch to a different one. I can usually be found playing Salmon Run (in which you and a few teammates beat up some enemy fish), but every now and again I’ll switch to Turf Wars (the main game, in which you verse other players trying to have the most paint on the floor) or even TableTurf (a card game within the video game based on… the video game). 

        It helps that I don’t take it too seriously. Sure, it sucks to lose, but even lost games are good practice. I’ve been branching out into new weapon classes (I usually play with Dualies, which are two small guns), learning how to use Charger and Blaster weapons effectively, and I’ve been working together with my friends to reach ever-higher ranks. The key is to enjoy the game itself, not just the wins– easy to do for someone who’s played since the original came out in 2015, and only now is actually learning to play well. Whoops.

3. Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley Logo, from stardewvalley.net

        Stardew Valley, available on both console and PC, is a farming-simulator game. Sick of your dead-end corporate job and the busy city life, you move to the secluded Stardew Valley and take up a new life as a farmer on your grandpa’s old farm. You can grow crops, go fishing, mine for resources, and befriend the townsfolk, all as you make money and help improve the community. You can even find love– there are several marriageable NPC’s in the game, and each has their own story to tell. 

        I try to be a very strategic Stardew player– I hold onto at least one of every type of fish and mineral I find, I refine my crops into artisan goods like wine and jelly, and I try to automate as much of my farming as I can– but I’m far from being one of the greats. In my many save files, I’ve never quite managed to reach the end-game– in fact, most of my save files get abandoned somewhere in the second in-game year. 

        Regardless of my questionable skill, the game has a very heartfelt charm to it. The music is endlessly listenable (the ice floors of the mine have some of my favorite songs), the 8-bit graphics are charming, and the entire valley is brimming with life. The only downside is that I’m incapable of playing for short periods of time– if I’m playing Stardew, I’m playing for two hours minimum. It’s just too good!

4. Wingspan

Wingspan Cover Art, from IGN

        “But Isabella,” I hear you say, “Wingspan is a board game, not a video game. I thought this was a video game list?” And to that I say, you’re not entirely wrong. Although Wingspan was initially released as a board game by StoneMaier Games, game studio Monster Couch worked with Stonemaier to release Wingspan on all gaming platforms, along with several of its expansion packs. 

        Wingspan is described by Stonemaier Games as a medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building board game. I describe it as indirectly-competitive bird collecting. Through a variety of resource management, you attract different birds to your habitat. The winner of each game is decided through a variety of metrics– the birds themselves have point-values, but each player also has individual goals to accomplish that award points as well. You’re not so much competing against other players as you are just trying to out-do them (hence me calling it an “indirectly” competitive game)

        I’m particularly drawn to Wingspan due to its soundtrack, its art, and of course the gameplay itself. I really have to focus when I play, and strategize for both long and short-term victories. The soundtrack involves many wind instruments, giving it a very relaxing feel; sometimes I’ll just let the game’s music play in the background while I do other work.

What games do you use to de-stress?